RedTech Recruitment

Here are our 8 top tips when entering the tech jobs market as a Graduate:

1) Identify ALL of the potential roles in tech – some of the roles on the periphery of software engineering or data science may be better suited to your skills and have far fewer applicants. Our ‘Graduate Software Engineer’ and ‘Graduate Data Scientist’ roles get hundreds more applicants compared to ‘Graduate DevOps Engineer’ for example. Speak to friends in tech or recruiters like us to find out what kind of roles may suit your personality and your aspirations. You may discover a role that you’ve never heard of before!

2) Get that friend who is militant on grammar and spelling to check your CV (they needn’t check this article!) If you don’t have such a friend we recommend using Grammarly.

3) Your CV can go over more than 1 page – although max at 3 pages! We’ve heard of Universities recommending 1 page to students – in a combined 30 years in recruitment we’ve never seen a tech manager reject a CV because it was over 2 pages. However, I’ve seen plenty rejected for not offering enough information. (Any candidate registered with RedTech can receive our free CV template which we made in conjunction with hiring managers to include the information they like to see on a Graduate CV).

4) It is becoming increasingly common for tech hiring managers to request a GitHub / Online Repository / Portfolio to see examples of your technical work, so we highly recommend you put one together! If you already have one, add the link to your CV.

5) Further to the above, start thinking about personal projects you have completed, which are relevant to the tech field you want to get into. If you don’t have any, we highly recommend you put some together. This could be a handy mobile app, a website for a friend, a data project to gain information, or helping someone build a computer! Hiring managers often tell us this demonstrates a passion for tech and gives an insight into your interests.

6) Throughout your job search be thinking of SEO / Search Engine Optimisation in reverse. Your CV may be added to databases, so when a role arises you want to ensure that all of your technical skills and desired job titles are placed somewhere within your CV so you come up in a search. The same goes for when you are searching for roles in your desired field. Determine all of the slight variations of your chosen field i.e. Software Engineer / Developer / Programmer.

7) Work out what is important to you early in your job search. The following rank differently depending on an individual’s personality and circumstances: Responsibilities; Industry; Impact; Career Progression; Training; Remuneration; People; Culture; Location; Job Security; Tech stack/Tools. This will ensure you ask the right questions in an interview and if you end up landing more than one offer, you can quickly rank which is the best offer for you.

8) When preparing for interviews ensure you research the role & company in detail. Also, come up with a list of questions to ask. Similar to our CV template, we offer interview preparation advice and coaching to any candidate who is interviewing through us.

We hope you found this useful. To view our live roles visit www.redtech-recruit.com or email applications@redtech-recruit to make a speculative application. If you are looking to hire top emerging academic talent, please email info@redtech-recruit.com

We are delighted to welcome Kye Birks to RedTech Recruitment!

In recent months, we have been promising our Graduates and Post-Docs that we will expand our geographical focus beyond Cambridge; that is exactly what Kye is here to do! So great news – we will be increasing our number of tech, science, and engineering roles across the UK! Given many of our applicants will consider roles in multiple locations this makes complete sense!

If you are a hiring manager looking for talented people emerging from STEM academia, then please reach out to Kye!
We already have the reputation for supplying some of the brightest and best into technology companies in Cambridge – all while maintaining very high morals and service standards! Kye is ready to take our recruitment mission UK wide!

#newstarter #business #graduates #stemgraduates #goingaboveandbeyond #recruitment

Local Cambridge firm, RedTech Recruitment are celebrating their one-year anniversary this December.

It certainly has not been plain sailing for the agency who help STEM graduates and Post-Docs secure their first role in industry.

Co-Founder Rebecca Mister commented:

We certainly did not envisage a global pandemic being declared 3 months into our business journey! We had some tense conversations back in March when our number of live roles dropped from 22 to only 3 pretty much overnight. Fortunately, through a lot of blood, sweat and tears we managed to turn the situation around and hit our ambitious year one target. I am now really excited for next year with a vaccine on the cards, thinking if we can achieve this in year one with Covid, what can we achieve in ‘normal’ years.

Reaching their one-year anniversary, RedTech are delighted that they have been able to support so many Graduates finding work in a tough climate, with their CV writing advice and rigorous interview prep.
RedTech have also managed to hire internally, employing a Business Support Administrator and a Recruitment Sales Executive. With plans to imminently hire a Recruitment Resourcer it is exciting times at RedTech HQ – which is not really a HQ at all as explained by Co-Founder, Robert Bull:

The original (pre-Covid) plan was to have a physical office by the end of the year. The thought of having a whole team working remotely was not one we had considered until Covid hit. Our HQ is now a 9.15am video conferencing room! Working remotely certainly
comes with its challenges – such as on-boarding new staff; however, we are constantly coming up with new ideas to make it work. We now plan to continue offering remote work, while still employing local people so we can meet up for regular catchups and team events,
offering a great work-life balance.

So, what is next on the cards for RedTech? Newest employee and Recruitment Executive, Kye Birks said:

RedTech already have the reputation for supplying some of the brightest and best into technology companies in Cambridge – all while maintaining very high morals and service standards! I am now ready to take our recruitment mission UK wide.

Rebecca and Rob are both available to answer any further questions you may have in relation to RedTech Recruitment.

EVENT NEWS!!!

We are excited to announce that our co-founder, Rebecca Mister is running a free ‘CV Crafting and Interview Workshop’ at the next virtual event for Cambridge Women In Tech.

6.45pm on Tuesday 24th November 2020!

Secure an early ticket today – https://lnkd.in/dde354u

#event#networking#virtualevent#womenintech#diversity#cvwriting#interviewtips#interviewpreparation

Writing the perfect CV has become increasingly important in the current climate. The average employer spends just 6.25 seconds reading a CV – you have only seconds to impress in a crowded market place. Therefore, Cambridge WIT is delighted to announce the next in our series of events, offering a free CV writing and interview-practice workshop. For this event we are inviting Rebecca Mister, regular CWIT attendee and co-founder of RedTech Recruitment, to delve into her 15 years of local tech recruitment knowledge.

This workshop will improve your CV to ensure you get the attention of hiring managers and impress once you secure that all important interview.

This programme will offer granular CV writing guidelines together with interview tips, then move into smaller breakout groups, where we can give each-other support and feedback, whilst offering a brilliant networking opportunity.

Whether you are currently job-seeking or may be in the foreseeable future, we would love for you to join us in this interactive webinar. We also encourage anyone in a hiring capacity to virtually attend, to offer support and guidance from your experiences as an employer. In return, you will gain insight into the current challenges the Women in Tech community are facing when searching for a new role which may help improve your recruitment process and diversity initiatives.

With the ever-changing workplace due to Covid we are regularly asked for advice on video interviews. Here are our TOP TEN VIDEO INTERVIEW TIPS:

1) Research!!!

Start by researching the company to display your initiative and interest in pursuing a career with the organisation.

You can look at their website, LinkedIn company page, social media, press articles, employee interviews, case studies and newsletters. Ask yourself do you know the products or services they offer, their target audience, main competitors and who they employ?

Now make notes why your skills, experience or aspirations may align to work for the company based on your research.

2) Job Spec Analysis

Analyse the job spec to match up the areas where your skills align and the areas which you need to learn.

Do not lose confidence if you only match half the ‘required’ skills. In our experience clients rarely end up hiring an exact replica of the job spec (push that imposter syndrome aside).

If you have identified the areas where you need to upskill, you can conduct some research prior to the interview on these tools, technologies, or skills. Also, try to think of instances where you have learnt similar examples in the past, so you can explain these in the interview.

3) Practice standard interview questions

A quick google will bring up general interview questions. Ask a friend of family member to do a mock interview. Even if these are not the exact questions asked it will get you into an interview mind-set. Ask for their feedback on where you could improve. Ideally, ask them to do this on a video call so we can test the next two points:

4) Where should a video interview take place?

A video interview should take place in a quiet place at home or in an office. While you can do a telephone interview in your car this looks unprofessional for a video call (unless you have agreed with the interviewer this is where the call will need to take place).

5) Set up the camera and laptop BEFORE the interview

Download any relevant software the day before the interview. Check this is functional.

Ensure your camera is angled so the interviewer can see the top half of your body and your entire face – it will be easier to read body language and looks more professional.

Check lighting i.e. do not have light/windows behind you.

6) Avoid distractions

Turn off your email and app notifications to avoid distractions. Silence your phone.

Tell your family / housemates that you have an interview, so you are not disturbed.

7) Prepare questions to ask at the end

Not just a tip for video interviews, prepare at least 5 questions to ask relating to the role and company. Have these written down in front of you.

Anyone who has interviewed potential employees will agree that individuals who fail to ask questions are rarely hired. By asking questions you effectively demonstrate your interest.

8) What to wear for a video interview?

The same as you would wear for a face-to-face interview. This is likely to be business attire – unless the company have explicitly told you to dress-down. You are very unlikely to be declined for a role for looking smart. However, we have seen people declined since the pandemic for looking overly casual, especially for client facing roles. Therefore, a shirt, blouse, smart dress, trousers etc.

Avoid wearing pyjamas on the bottom half just in case you need to get up!!

9) 5 key points for during the video interview call

• Sound interested, energetic and enthusiastic
• Be clear and concise in your answers; only answer what is asked
• Never speak in a negative way about a previous employer
• Refer throughout to the research you completed in tip 1
• Always ask questions at the end

10) Tell the hiring manager if you are interested!

An interview is an opportunity for you to present your skills, interests, and abilities to a potential employer. It is also an opportunity for the company to “sell” you on the advantages of working with them. If you like what you have heard and want to be considered for an offer – tell them of your interest.

If working with a recruitment consultant, call them after the interview to confirm your continued interest in the position.

Didn’t get the job?

Finally, if you didn’t get the job, don’t give up. Put it down to experience and bear in mind that this process was a valuable exercise. Assess if there is anything you would change in future interviews.

We hope you found the above useful – we specialise in tech graduate recruitment, however, have tried to make the above useful to all jobseekers regardless of industry. If you are a tech graduate, we have more specific advice available. Please email us at info@redtech-recruit.com to find out more about services.

Thanks to photo from

Zoom Photo – Photo by visuals on Unsplash

RedTech Recruitment Covid 19 Update

We wanted to let you all know of the changes we are making to our business and general wider post-academic recruitment due to Covid 19.

Changes to our business operations

We are continuing to operate with a few changes… namely remote work with spouses and small children in the background. We are set up on Teams, Zoom and most other video conferencing software so can still virtually meet you. We can’t guarantee there won’t be a BBC-style moment with children appearing on screen or squealing in the background during a phone call, but we imagine this is the new norm for millions of people!

For our candidate base (anyone emerging from academia in a STEM subject)

We are still busy recruiting for several roles. While some employers have placed roles on hold, for others it is recruitment as usual. In some cases even ramped up as they are working in industries which forsee growth given an increase in demand due to Coronavirus. Therefore, if you are leaving academia and worried about how Covid 19 will affect your career chances, please don’t give up on putting together your CV and sending it over to us. Of course, it may be a more competitive market for a few months. We are also seeing some employers make job offers with extended/flexible start dates as they are unable to get people onboarded while remote working. Therefore, you might find a delay in starting, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still apply.

Due to the Graduate area in which we recruit, we are aware that there are many people in our network are in their twenties (mature students the exception). Given this group seemingly has a much lower risk of serious complications (for those without underlying health conditions), we have written to the Government saying we will be encouraging our predominantly low risk network to volunteer. Therefore, you may wish to sign up as an NHS volunteer while you look for work https://www.goodsamapp.org/NHSvolunteerresponders

For Clients

You shouldn’t see any dip in the service we deliver. The great thing about recruitment is we can do it anywhere. We still have access to the same resources as before; we have phones, computers and 20+ years of technical recruitment experience. We are happy to help with suggestions on how you can remote your interview and onboarding processes where possible. We can’t comment too much in the employed market as that isn’t our bag, but certainly for graduates emerging from degrees through to Post-Doc Researchers where contracts are ending, it could be a great time to secure some of the best future talent while the competition is quiet.

Final note to everyone in our network

Please get in touch if we can help – whether it is support filling a role, help making applications, or just a general chat about what is happening in the market.

Stay safe and well all,

RedTech Recruitment

Here are the 5 main questions we have been asked since telling friends/business associates/ex-colleagues about our new venture…. just in case anyone is intrigued/interested:

Why has it taken you so long to set up/I thought you said you’d never set up on your own?

I’d maintained for years I would never set up on my own. I convinced myself it would be too much of a risk not having a basic salary, and spend my life chasing invoices, doing admin, and not getting to do much of that recruitment malarkey. But after a rollercoaster few months and seeing a few eye-opening and empowering women in tech/business talks, I realised this was a crazy stance. 

All that passion I’d held for so long was waning. I realised I was at my absolute happiest on the tools, especially when dabbling in post-academic recruitment… my specialist area throughout my early career.

I get such a buzz out of helping people find their first job in industry. Helping them nail the kind of role or company for them, supporting them with their first CVs, to helping them with their first rounds of official interviews. So, after giving lectures to female candidates and business associates about how women shouldn’t be so risk averse, I decided to literally stick my money where my mouth is.

Now I’ve got started, it turns out I’m absolutely brimming with ideas about how to make this whole thing a success and wondering why I didn’t do it sooner (although in fairness I probably wasn’t entirely ready before now).

So you’ve gone into business with Rob?

Yes!

Rob and I have worked together for around 9 years. I don’t think Rob was ready for this kind of move before now either (even though he tried persuading me to set up with him in 2011 when we were both at CP). He has turned into one of the most committed, hard-working recruiters that I know, and I’ve never seen his work ethic higher than it is now.

He’s far from your ‘typical’ recruitment consultant, but I think that’s what makes him unique. His clients really trust him. We did a management course last year (highly recommend Andrew Sillitoe) and we had to fill in a personality survey. When the results came back for the two of us, we made the perfect circle of different personality traits. That matches up with the real world, and we definitely balance each other out in business.

After 12 years of recruitment, I’m confident in his knowledge and experience, and ability to seamlessly fill a role or give advice and support to a candidate.

Why the name RedTech?

My husband’s family is Chinese and red is regarded as lucky… and we’re superstitious. We were going to call ourselves RedTech Innov8 taking the Chinese luck thing one step further, but we were told by a few people it might be too long. Alas, our sales pitch to Huawei has lost some of its possible appeal 😉

What’s your USP?

Having the opportunity to deal directly with Rob and I. We have years of recruitment experience, there are few agency recruiters based in Cambridge who have been doing tech recruitment for as long as us.

We understand the intricacies of Cambridge recruitment, and how being highly ethical is the only way to operate in this close-knit market.

And finally, our unrivalled local knowledge in supporting post-academic candidates in finding their first role.

Will you continue your work with diversity in the workforce?

Absolutely!

I have learnt so much about diversity in the workforce through Next Tech Girls and thanks to a few awesome women (shout out to Kat Codlin, Jo Stansfield, Adelina Chalmers, Siddhi Trivedi, Nicola Mullarkey, Jess Ocampos, Marie-Clare Fenech, Margherita Cesca Nelder-Haynes and Inge Woudstra).

I will take that knowledge into every single vacancy I ever work, and always strive to advise companies on the steps they can take to make their workforce more diverse, and the benefits behind it. And for every female candidate I encounter who is doubting herself, I will tell her one of the stories or facts (probably second-hand from one of the brilliant women mentioned) about why she needs to ignore her doubts and put herself out there (this line is me gobbling up my own words!).